IIA. RELATED APPLICATIONS
There are no applications for patent relating hereto heretofore filed in this or any foreign country.
IIB. FIELD OF INVENTION
My invention relates generally to electrical junction boxes and particularly to a partially disassembliable box with manipulatable ends for use in renovation construction to assist connecting conduit within the box.
IIC. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The use of junction boxes for electrical outlets, switches and connections is standard in the electrical art. Such boxes are normally secured to existing building structural elements and have a plurality of pre-scored knockout holes formed in various surfaces of the box for passage of electrical conduit. Various tab elements and holes are formed by or secured to such boxes to enable attachement to various structural elements. Further means normally are formed in junction boxes to enable joining of a plurality of such boxes for acceptance of complex electrical components.
The electrical construction trade has in the past recognized a need for disassembliable junction boxes to permit improved access to a box's interior when installed. Junction boxes in this category commonly have been formed with detachable side elements so the normally vertical sides of the box may be removed for convenience of positioning various electrical elements therein. Movable sides of these boxes have employed various securing and fastening elements such as screws, cams, indentations, protuberances and the like to assist disassembly and reassembly.
Shortcomings of these prior art junction boxes have become apparent, however, when used in remodeling applications, and particularly in commercial remodeling environments where an existing structure or building is to be modified for future service and use. Typically the sequence of remodeling construction involves modification of mechanical systems and interior structural elements, such as walls, often with relocation and reorientations within the confines of an existing structure. Subsequently an electrical worker is called upon to run wiring and position electrical switch outlets and junctions as required. This often involves cutting of access holes in wall surfaces for insertion of electrical boxes and a securing of these boxes to convenient structural elements such as wall surfaces or studding, for example. The size of access holes so cut is often limited, especially as by the commercially available face plates that are secured over the outlet or junction boxes to cover such holes. Holes cut unduly large would require a mechanic to return and patch such holes thereby adding to the cost of such remodeling.
A working area for an electrical worker within an existing wall structures is therefore limited by the size of access holes. Further compounding working space restrictions is the mandated use in much of commercial remodeling of stiff, bulky flex cable as mandated by building code requirements to insure adequate electrical ground and conductor protection. This flex cable is normally secured to a junction box at top and bottom end portions because the electrical cable normally is fed to the box from above, and occasionally from below, between vertically positioned wall studs. Electrical wiring is a labor intensive, costly operation and the manipulation of relatively stiff and bulky flex cable in a confined area is not only awkward but also time consuming and raises costs in the already costly field of remodeling. My new and improved junction box simplifies wiring procedures and accordingly helps reduce costs of electrical work, especially as in remodeling.
As opposed to prior art devices, my junction box provides a generally "U" shaped body formed by integrally connected rear and side walls. Top and bottom end walls are pivotally connected to the rear wall and secured in position between side walls by opposed cooperating projections and tabs to align and maintain the end walls. In use the side walls are manipulated to expand the "U" shaped body laterally so that top and bottom end walls may pivotally pass between respective projections to an inwardly position in the box. Because of the natural elastic resiliency of material used to fabricate my box, the side walls will be biased and spring back to their original position when released. With either end wall pivoted inwardly, flex cable may be positioned within the box through holes they define and thereafter the end wall may be pivoted outwardly into locking position to thereby capture the cable within a conventional opening formed in the end wall. To assist in the alignment and positioning of either top or bottom wall as they are pivotally moved past fastening projections to locking position, recesses may be formed in the side edges to cooperate with such protuberances to maintain alignment of a pivotal wall as it is moved.
Heretofore movable and removable walls have been known in junction boxes, however, there has not been a convenient, economic, and efficient manner of providing top and bottom end walls that can be manually manipulated to pivot into and out of a locked position without the aid of auxiliary fastening means, such as threaded connectors and the associated tools required for their functioning.
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the synergistic combination of all of them as herein disclosed and claimed and it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of all of its structural features that necessarily provide the functions specified and claimed.